title: MALDI-TOF MS/microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis identification of HbG Coushatta.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of microwave-assisted acid hydrolysis of proteins combined with MALDI-TOF MS to characterize hemoglobin G Coushatta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Following separation of the globin chains, the purified beta chain fractions were hydrolyzed by acid hydrolysis prior to MALDI-TOF MS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The method correctly identified the abnormal amino acid in HbG Coushatta. The results of this method were confirmed by an established de novo sequencing method.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The correct amino acid sequence for HbG Coushatta was found. The proposed method is an alternative to MS/MS methods available for identification of abnormal hemoglobin variants.
authors.affiliation: Chemistry Department, University of Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Trefor N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Higgins
mesh_terms: D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008872:Microwaves; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D006455:Hemoglobins, Abnormal; C033944:hemoglobin G Coushatta